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The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle
Tyler Kyle doesn’t believe in monsters.
A washed-up thirty-year-old actor and reluctant cryptid investigator, Tyler is used to playing the Scully to his best friend Josh’s Mulder on their stupidly popular YouTube channel. But when Tyler receives previously unseen footage of the B movie bombshell mother who abandoned him eighteen years ago—footage linked to an isolated island in the Canadian wilderness—the mystery is one conspiracy he’s determined to investigate. The fact that following the scent gives Tyler an excuse to run away from the “straight” Josh, whom he drunkenly made out with, is just the cherry on the shit sundae.
But Echo Island isn’t what it seems. Its eerily scenic veneer hides a twisted secret buried in its roots as a gay conversion camp, and as Tyler retraces his mother’s footsteps, he discovers a supernatural connection between the residents and the island—one they seem to think Tyler and his mother share.
Even worse, the footage of Tyler’s mom came from someone on the island–a stalker whose obsessive fascination with both Tyler and Josh is about to make Tyler wish he hadn’t gone this one alone. Puppeteered by his stalker, searching for his mother, and debating whether it’s possible to queerbait yourself, Tyler comes to realize that it doesn’t matter so much whether you believe in monsters, if they believe in you.
THE ERSTWHILE TYLER KYLE is an adult horror comedy for fans of GHOST FILES, BUZZFEED UNSOLVED, and TWIN PEAKS.
Content warnings available on Steve Westenra's website (see Goodreads Profile).
A washed-up thirty-year-old actor and reluctant cryptid investigator, Tyler is used to playing the Scully to his best friend Josh’s Mulder on their stupidly popular YouTube channel. But when Tyler receives previously unseen footage of the B movie bombshell mother who abandoned him eighteen years ago—footage linked to an isolated island in the Canadian wilderness—the mystery is one conspiracy he’s determined to investigate. The fact that following the scent gives Tyler an excuse to run away from the “straight” Josh, whom he drunkenly made out with, is just the cherry on the shit sundae.
But Echo Island isn’t what it seems. Its eerily scenic veneer hides a twisted secret buried in its roots as a gay conversion camp, and as Tyler retraces his mother’s footsteps, he discovers a supernatural connection between the residents and the island—one they seem to think Tyler and his mother share.
Even worse, the footage of Tyler’s mom came from someone on the island–a stalker whose obsessive fascination with both Tyler and Josh is about to make Tyler wish he hadn’t gone this one alone. Puppeteered by his stalker, searching for his mother, and debating whether it’s possible to queerbait yourself, Tyler comes to realize that it doesn’t matter so much whether you believe in monsters, if they believe in you.
THE ERSTWHILE TYLER KYLE is an adult horror comedy for fans of GHOST FILES, BUZZFEED UNSOLVED, and TWIN PEAKS.
Content warnings available on Steve Westenra's website (see Goodreads Profile).
453 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2023
49 people are currently reading
835 people want to read
About the author
Steve Hugh Westenra
3 books68 followersSteve is a trans author of fantasy, science fiction, and horror (basically, if it’s weird he writes it).
He grew up on the eldritch shores of Newfoundland, Canada, and currently lives and works in (the slightly less eldritch) Montreal. He holds advanced degrees in Russian Literature, Medieval Studies, and Religious Studies. His current academic work focuses on marginalized reclamations of monstrous figures. He teaches the History of Satan and Religion and its Monsters.
In 2018, Steve’s lesbian Viking novel, Ash, Oak, and Thorn, was selected for the Pitch Wars mentoring program and agent showcase. During Pitch Wars, Steve was lucky to receive mentorship from fellow queer author, K. A. Doore.
His queer horror comedy, The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle, was mentored by Mary Ann Marlowe in the inugural #Queeryfest class.
He is a SPFBO9 entrant.
Steve is passionate about queer representation, Late Antiquity, and spiders.
He grew up on the eldritch shores of Newfoundland, Canada, and currently lives and works in (the slightly less eldritch) Montreal. He holds advanced degrees in Russian Literature, Medieval Studies, and Religious Studies. His current academic work focuses on marginalized reclamations of monstrous figures. He teaches the History of Satan and Religion and its Monsters.
In 2018, Steve’s lesbian Viking novel, Ash, Oak, and Thorn, was selected for the Pitch Wars mentoring program and agent showcase. During Pitch Wars, Steve was lucky to receive mentorship from fellow queer author, K. A. Doore.
His queer horror comedy, The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle, was mentored by Mary Ann Marlowe in the inugural #Queeryfest class.
He is a SPFBO9 entrant.
Steve is passionate about queer representation, Late Antiquity, and spiders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
May 21, 2025
"There's a nail in my stomach. It's been rusting since my parents put it there, and when I think about that moment pieces of it flake into my blood stream. It's my doom, a ticking time bomb. One day it'll kill me, assuming it hasn't already."
I bought this book when it appeared in "the drop" on Godless.com based on vibes alone, that must have been 2 years ago. I tried making myself read it a few times and I just wasn't getting into it. I finally got the itch to read it and when I tell you I devoured it.
I enjoyed Westenra's writing style which was quite striking at times but not overly stylized and how the different aspects of the story were woven together. I also enjoyed the pop culture references and the sense of humor. If, like me, you enjoy body horror and confinement horror you'll be happy to read that there's a generous splash of both in there.
Tyler is a mess but he's a lovable one so it was easy to root for him. There was something a little cartoony about at lot of the characters and yet things managed to get quite creepy (maybe because of seductive vegan risotto? I'm sorry but risotto and seductive should never exist in the same sentence🤢).
I bought this book when it appeared in "the drop" on Godless.com based on vibes alone, that must have been 2 years ago. I tried making myself read it a few times and I just wasn't getting into it. I finally got the itch to read it and when I tell you I devoured it.
I enjoyed Westenra's writing style which was quite striking at times but not overly stylized and how the different aspects of the story were woven together. I also enjoyed the pop culture references and the sense of humor. If, like me, you enjoy body horror and confinement horror you'll be happy to read that there's a generous splash of both in there.
Tyler is a mess but he's a lovable one so it was easy to root for him. There was something a little cartoony about at lot of the characters and yet things managed to get quite creepy (maybe because of seductive vegan risotto? I'm sorry but risotto and seductive should never exist in the same sentence🤢).
October 13, 2023
This review was originally posted on Before We Go Blog
4.5 stars (rounded up)
Let me just start this review off by saying that I am a complete wimp and stay far away from most horror stories. And yet, as soon as I saw that this quirky queer adult horror comedy had ‘Buzzfeed Unsolved’ and ‘Twin Peaks’ vibes, I simply could not resist. The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle smoothly blends elements of horror, comedy, mystery, pyschological thriller, and romance to create an utterly captivating and refreshing story. It will creep under your skin and take you on a wild emotional rollercoaster, leaving you competely reeling in the best way imaginable.
This story follows Tyler Kyle, a snarky 30-year-old actor who somewhat reluctantly runs a ridiculously popular cryptid investigation show with his best friend Josh. As a sceptic, he has never been extremely invested in any of their investigations, but now a new mystery with a very personal touch has presented itself.
After receiving a mysterious video of his mom, who abandoned him 18 years ago, he flies out on his own to the eerie and secluded Echo Island where dark and twisted secrets are just waiting to be uncovered. And no, this is definitely not also a perfect excuse to run away from his feelings and escape his queer panic after drunkenly making out with his “straight” best friend in a hot tub… not at all.
Right from the very first page, I was completely captivated by Tyler’s extremely strong voice and his dark and self-deprecating humour. His personality just oozes off the page and all his virtues and vices are on full display, which makes him such a painfully complex, realistic, and oddly relatable character. I wasn’t even sure if I liked him at first, yet somehow he crept up on me and I was fully emotionally invested by the end.
On top of that, I also really loved how each of the vibrant and complex side characters had their own compelling backstory and got their own time to shine. Even characters that don’t appear on the page until the final 25% felt like they had more emotional depth than some people I know in real life, which is just mind blowing to me. The delicious and incredibly tense character dynamics were so incredibly compelling to me, keeping me both highly entertained and slightly unsettled at the same time.
Ultimately, though, it was the extremely juicy and complicated relationship between Tyler and Josh that became the highlight of the story for me. It’s absolutely beyond me how the author managed to get me SO invested in this dynamic when they are separated for the majority of the story. I believed in their bond from the very first page and the more I read, the more I started wishing they could just get their happily ever after already. But the slow-burn is tantalising, and I was totally living for it.
And all this stupidly strong character work really helped ground this story for me, even when the plot went a bit off the walls. I honestly felt like I wasn’t just reading about the zany experiences of these characters, but I actually lived them myself.
The panic, the dread, the anxiety, the unease, the confusion, the delirium, the suspicion, the exhilaration; all these feelings were captured SO well, for better or worse. And Westenra’s hypnotising and lyrical prose only magnified the intensity of the story, resulting in a sort of fever dream-like reading experience that I absolutely adored.
This is not the type of horror story that is full of jump scares or disturbing sequences, but that doesn’t make it any less unsettling or haunting. There are some surprising supernatural elements and a couple of scenes including some gory body horror that made me shudder, but it’s truly the depravity of humanity that will keep you up at night. The atmosphere is simply suffocating, the mystery is riveting, and there’s this creeping sense of dread that permeates every aspect of the story.
Though at the same time, this story doesn’t take itself too seriously and manages to be extremely entertaining, which worked so well for me. I’d compare the vibe to Grady Hendrix’ stories, in that it is slightly ridiculous yet it’s also still an absolute thrill ride from start to finish.
It’s no easy feat to successfully pull off comedy in a book, but for me the balance between the horror and the humour was perfectly struck here. I loved how the author used the hysterical inner monologue and dialogue to release some of the tension, while also never breaking the suspense.
And underneath the creepy ambiance, dark humour, and exhilarating plot, there is a kind of re-coming of age story that will tug at your heartstrings in the best way possible. The characters are all adults, yet the (re)discovery of sexuality and identity is extremely poignant, authentic, and heartfelt. Other heavy themes of child neglect, sexual and emotional abuse, obsession, legacy, and grief are also explored with so much care, which gives this story so much heart.
Maybe it’s because I am still fairly new to the horror genre, but this was truly one of the most refreshing and exciting stories I have read in a long while. There were maybe a couple of explicit sexual encounters that I bounced off of due to personal preference, but aside from that, this story is a pure masterpiece in my opinion.
The story is just so well-balanced and there truly isn’t a single lull in the pacing, which gives this book that delightful ‘just one more chapter’ feeling.
I would highly recommend The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle if you are looking for a quirky character-driven horror comedy that will seduce you with its hypnotising and poetic prose, riveting mystery, emotionally engaging character work, depraved dark humour, and delicious doses of repressed queer longing. I absolutely loved it!
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars (rounded up)
Let me just start this review off by saying that I am a complete wimp and stay far away from most horror stories. And yet, as soon as I saw that this quirky queer adult horror comedy had ‘Buzzfeed Unsolved’ and ‘Twin Peaks’ vibes, I simply could not resist. The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle smoothly blends elements of horror, comedy, mystery, pyschological thriller, and romance to create an utterly captivating and refreshing story. It will creep under your skin and take you on a wild emotional rollercoaster, leaving you competely reeling in the best way imaginable.
This story follows Tyler Kyle, a snarky 30-year-old actor who somewhat reluctantly runs a ridiculously popular cryptid investigation show with his best friend Josh. As a sceptic, he has never been extremely invested in any of their investigations, but now a new mystery with a very personal touch has presented itself.
After receiving a mysterious video of his mom, who abandoned him 18 years ago, he flies out on his own to the eerie and secluded Echo Island where dark and twisted secrets are just waiting to be uncovered. And no, this is definitely not also a perfect excuse to run away from his feelings and escape his queer panic after drunkenly making out with his “straight” best friend in a hot tub… not at all.
Right from the very first page, I was completely captivated by Tyler’s extremely strong voice and his dark and self-deprecating humour. His personality just oozes off the page and all his virtues and vices are on full display, which makes him such a painfully complex, realistic, and oddly relatable character. I wasn’t even sure if I liked him at first, yet somehow he crept up on me and I was fully emotionally invested by the end.
On top of that, I also really loved how each of the vibrant and complex side characters had their own compelling backstory and got their own time to shine. Even characters that don’t appear on the page until the final 25% felt like they had more emotional depth than some people I know in real life, which is just mind blowing to me. The delicious and incredibly tense character dynamics were so incredibly compelling to me, keeping me both highly entertained and slightly unsettled at the same time.
Ultimately, though, it was the extremely juicy and complicated relationship between Tyler and Josh that became the highlight of the story for me. It’s absolutely beyond me how the author managed to get me SO invested in this dynamic when they are separated for the majority of the story. I believed in their bond from the very first page and the more I read, the more I started wishing they could just get their happily ever after already. But the slow-burn is tantalising, and I was totally living for it.
And all this stupidly strong character work really helped ground this story for me, even when the plot went a bit off the walls. I honestly felt like I wasn’t just reading about the zany experiences of these characters, but I actually lived them myself.
The panic, the dread, the anxiety, the unease, the confusion, the delirium, the suspicion, the exhilaration; all these feelings were captured SO well, for better or worse. And Westenra’s hypnotising and lyrical prose only magnified the intensity of the story, resulting in a sort of fever dream-like reading experience that I absolutely adored.
This is not the type of horror story that is full of jump scares or disturbing sequences, but that doesn’t make it any less unsettling or haunting. There are some surprising supernatural elements and a couple of scenes including some gory body horror that made me shudder, but it’s truly the depravity of humanity that will keep you up at night. The atmosphere is simply suffocating, the mystery is riveting, and there’s this creeping sense of dread that permeates every aspect of the story.
Though at the same time, this story doesn’t take itself too seriously and manages to be extremely entertaining, which worked so well for me. I’d compare the vibe to Grady Hendrix’ stories, in that it is slightly ridiculous yet it’s also still an absolute thrill ride from start to finish.
It’s no easy feat to successfully pull off comedy in a book, but for me the balance between the horror and the humour was perfectly struck here. I loved how the author used the hysterical inner monologue and dialogue to release some of the tension, while also never breaking the suspense.
And underneath the creepy ambiance, dark humour, and exhilarating plot, there is a kind of re-coming of age story that will tug at your heartstrings in the best way possible. The characters are all adults, yet the (re)discovery of sexuality and identity is extremely poignant, authentic, and heartfelt. Other heavy themes of child neglect, sexual and emotional abuse, obsession, legacy, and grief are also explored with so much care, which gives this story so much heart.
Maybe it’s because I am still fairly new to the horror genre, but this was truly one of the most refreshing and exciting stories I have read in a long while. There were maybe a couple of explicit sexual encounters that I bounced off of due to personal preference, but aside from that, this story is a pure masterpiece in my opinion.
The story is just so well-balanced and there truly isn’t a single lull in the pacing, which gives this book that delightful ‘just one more chapter’ feeling.
I would highly recommend The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle if you are looking for a quirky character-driven horror comedy that will seduce you with its hypnotising and poetic prose, riveting mystery, emotionally engaging character work, depraved dark humour, and delicious doses of repressed queer longing. I absolutely loved it!
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 9, 2024
Damn!! Okay this was really great. Super fun and balls to the wall from pretty much day 1 - I was hesitant to start this because it’s 450 pages, and then once I started I couldn’t stop. Things just kept happening!
And I stand by what I said, the protagonist in a supernatural thriller should always [redacted] the local [redacted] and then discover he’s actually [redacted]!! These other alleged thriller authors are really phoning it in if they’re not coming up with plot points like this!! 😂😂😂
I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I really enjoyed this and would totally recommend (with the caveat that it definitely gets dark and it definitely gets gory). The supernatural thriller stuff was tense and fun AND the character/relationship stuff was compelling, and felt really real. And the plot/writing structure were excellent too!
And I stand by what I said, the protagonist in a supernatural thriller should always [redacted] the local [redacted] and then discover he’s actually [redacted]!! These other alleged thriller authors are really phoning it in if they’re not coming up with plot points like this!! 😂😂😂
I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I really enjoyed this and would totally recommend (with the caveat that it definitely gets dark and it definitely gets gory). The supernatural thriller stuff was tense and fun AND the character/relationship stuff was compelling, and felt really real. And the plot/writing structure were excellent too!
October 29, 2023
My thanks to the author for the free copy. I was not pressured, berated, guilted, or tortured in any way to provide this honest review.
4 1/2 stars, rounded up, of course.
The loss of a half-star is due to the sluggish middle, which needs a little nip/tick by a taxidermist's needle to get the erstwhile Tyler Kyle faced in the right direction. Otherwise, this book was completely unexpected for me - and in an entirely awesome way.
Tyler is a young man, co-host of a cryptid investigation YouTube channel called "Discovery Bang" of all things. He's on a mission to find his mom, a missing B-movie horror actress who abandoned him years ago. As he roams around Echo Island, the weird, isolated location of mom's last whereabouts, Tyler's reliving his anguished relationship with Josh, his best friend, roommate, co-host, and unrequited love. It's Tyler's character that drives the story, with his snark, his dark humor, his anxiety, his exuberance for nearly everything. There are lots of dark moments - this is a story of secret government projects, experiments gone bad, monsters human and other, cults, and conversion camps. There's some graphic body horror, and graphic sex as well. And it's all done insanely well and smart and I am very much impressed with the writing talents of Westenra. Kudos on an great job!
4 1/2 stars, rounded up, of course.
The loss of a half-star is due to the sluggish middle, which needs a little nip/tick by a taxidermist's needle to get the erstwhile Tyler Kyle faced in the right direction. Otherwise, this book was completely unexpected for me - and in an entirely awesome way.
Tyler is a young man, co-host of a cryptid investigation YouTube channel called "Discovery Bang" of all things. He's on a mission to find his mom, a missing B-movie horror actress who abandoned him years ago. As he roams around Echo Island, the weird, isolated location of mom's last whereabouts, Tyler's reliving his anguished relationship with Josh, his best friend, roommate, co-host, and unrequited love. It's Tyler's character that drives the story, with his snark, his dark humor, his anxiety, his exuberance for nearly everything. There are lots of dark moments - this is a story of secret government projects, experiments gone bad, monsters human and other, cults, and conversion camps. There's some graphic body horror, and graphic sex as well. And it's all done insanely well and smart and I am very much impressed with the writing talents of Westenra. Kudos on an great job!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2023
Review originally on
JamReads
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle is a genre blending queer horror novel, written by Steve Hugh Westernra; a refreshing take that combines many branches of horror, winking an eye at many of the films that made me love the genre. All inside a story that is an absolute rollercoaster of emotions with memorable characters.
We will be following Tyler Kyle, a 30-year-old voice actor who runs a cryptid investigation show with his best friend Josh. He's a sceptic that doesn't really believes in any of these supernatural things, hence not getting really invested into them; his mind is on leaving the show (somebody said Grave Encounters?). However, he has recently received a video of his mom, who abandoned him eighteen years ago; a mystery that takes him to the remote and secluded Echo Island, on a journey that is also a run from his feelings and the panic that produced to him after his last experience with Josh.
With this premise, we soon get invested on the mysteries behind Echo Island, and its weird inhabitants; only a few pages are needed to understand that we are barely scratching the first layer of a complex society. Something is deeply wrong in this apparently calm place; a sense of danger and fear is always present; but Tyler must discover what happened to his mother and why he received the video, and at the same time, he will have to deal with those feelings he tried left behind.
All is narrated with the voice of Tyler, a extremely strong one from the narrative point, with a self-deprecating and dark point; he's, in a few words, a mess. Struggling with his own feelings, trying to negate them, this travel is anything but an excuse to delay the inevitable talk with Josh. Westenra manages to create a set of compelling characters, who connect with you in different ways; definitely one of the strongest point of the novel.
The author manages to blend many different kinds of horror in the same story, creating what for me felt as a homage to the genre and many of the pieces that shaped it; from the folk horror and the deeply secluded communities that might have other intentions for the strangers, such as in Midsommar or The Wicker Man, to even paranormal horror, in a style that remembers me to what was done in The Forest.
Westenra's prose is really polished, with a small lyrical touch that shines more when our confused character is trying to understand his feelings. It is true that pacing might be slow at some points, but all the time spent building has a payoff at the end.
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle is a deliciously queer horror novel, a great novel that if you like the horror genre should give a try. An author with an incredible ability, whose next books for sure I will be reading!
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle is a genre blending queer horror novel, written by Steve Hugh Westernra; a refreshing take that combines many branches of horror, winking an eye at many of the films that made me love the genre. All inside a story that is an absolute rollercoaster of emotions with memorable characters.
We will be following Tyler Kyle, a 30-year-old voice actor who runs a cryptid investigation show with his best friend Josh. He's a sceptic that doesn't really believes in any of these supernatural things, hence not getting really invested into them; his mind is on leaving the show (somebody said Grave Encounters?). However, he has recently received a video of his mom, who abandoned him eighteen years ago; a mystery that takes him to the remote and secluded Echo Island, on a journey that is also a run from his feelings and the panic that produced to him after his last experience with Josh.
With this premise, we soon get invested on the mysteries behind Echo Island, and its weird inhabitants; only a few pages are needed to understand that we are barely scratching the first layer of a complex society. Something is deeply wrong in this apparently calm place; a sense of danger and fear is always present; but Tyler must discover what happened to his mother and why he received the video, and at the same time, he will have to deal with those feelings he tried left behind.
All is narrated with the voice of Tyler, a extremely strong one from the narrative point, with a self-deprecating and dark point; he's, in a few words, a mess. Struggling with his own feelings, trying to negate them, this travel is anything but an excuse to delay the inevitable talk with Josh. Westenra manages to create a set of compelling characters, who connect with you in different ways; definitely one of the strongest point of the novel.
The author manages to blend many different kinds of horror in the same story, creating what for me felt as a homage to the genre and many of the pieces that shaped it; from the folk horror and the deeply secluded communities that might have other intentions for the strangers, such as in Midsommar or The Wicker Man, to even paranormal horror, in a style that remembers me to what was done in The Forest.
Westenra's prose is really polished, with a small lyrical touch that shines more when our confused character is trying to understand his feelings. It is true that pacing might be slow at some points, but all the time spent building has a payoff at the end.
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle is a deliciously queer horror novel, a great novel that if you like the horror genre should give a try. An author with an incredible ability, whose next books for sure I will be reading!
September 24, 2023
Well that was a trip! This story starts in an incredibly zany way, with this strong narrator voice, angst and all sorts of weird goings on. Who are these people? What's happening?
Tyler is a complex MC and at first I didn't know if I even liked him. There were so many ghosts littering up this story, so many memories.
But then they grew on me, every single one, and bit by bit I was suckered in.
This writer has serious writing chops. He is irreverent, witty and slick. I laughed out loud at a few lines including but not limited to, letting out a breath he knew he was holding and seductive vegan risotto, which was hard to make. It's not hard, Josh. You're just a fool.
This story is a very hard one to characterise. It is a horror, it is a love story and it's something else too. I loved it. I loved them all. Except that one character. Fuck that guy.
I recommend. 👌
Tyler is a complex MC and at first I didn't know if I even liked him. There were so many ghosts littering up this story, so many memories.
But then they grew on me, every single one, and bit by bit I was suckered in.
This writer has serious writing chops. He is irreverent, witty and slick. I laughed out loud at a few lines including but not limited to, letting out a breath he knew he was holding and seductive vegan risotto, which was hard to make. It's not hard, Josh. You're just a fool.
This story is a very hard one to characterise. It is a horror, it is a love story and it's something else too. I loved it. I loved them all. Except that one character. Fuck that guy.
I recommend. 👌
February 11, 2024
This book may not be for me. I couldn't get into it but I can respect the writing style which is punchy and quirky, and the voice is consistent.
Giving 3 stars because I'm not going to punish a book for my feral ADHD and I sincerely think this is a clever concept and I will recommend it to readers I think will enjoy it.
Giving 3 stars because I'm not going to punish a book for my feral ADHD and I sincerely think this is a clever concept and I will recommend it to readers I think will enjoy it.
October 13, 2023
This book was so different from what I typically read. But I definitely love the way Westerna writes. This particular book blended horror tropes, podcast vibes, unreliable narrators, and comedy, making this book unique and an overall good time.
This book is a wild ride, for sure! Great writing, full of humor and snark with the perfect amount of gore and spice, makes this book unlike anything I've ever experienced. I adored its characters, except that one bitch ( fuck her. Disrespectfully, of course!). I laughed with them and cried for them, the love story was super cute and endearing although aggrevating at times! Like seriously, get it together boys! It's obvious to everyone but yall! But it be like that sometimes!
Loved the cult vibes and also the new take on the classic horror trope. I won't say which one bc it would be a huge ass spoiler, but I quite enjoyed it!
I'm honestly so pleased that I took a chance on this book and its author and can't wait to see what they bring next! Please please please consider continuing Tyler and Josh's story, I would love to read more from their podcast and relationship.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a wild ride, for sure! Great writing, full of humor and snark with the perfect amount of gore and spice, makes this book unlike anything I've ever experienced. I adored its characters, except that one bitch ( fuck her. Disrespectfully, of course!). I laughed with them and cried for them, the love story was super cute and endearing although aggrevating at times! Like seriously, get it together boys! It's obvious to everyone but yall! But it be like that sometimes!
Loved the cult vibes and also the new take on the classic horror trope. I won't say which one bc it would be a huge ass spoiler, but I quite enjoyed it!
I'm honestly so pleased that I took a chance on this book and its author and can't wait to see what they bring next! Please please please consider continuing Tyler and Josh's story, I would love to read more from their podcast and relationship.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2023
I'm pretty sure this was the most unique and original book I've ever read - and I mean that in the best way possible.
When I saw this book pitched as a "queer Buzzfeed Unsolved," I knew it would be for me. And from page one, this book threw me on a roller coaster of mystery, relationship drama, angst, secrets, guessing games, and so much more. It's hard to sum up my thoughts in a review because I have so many (all good!), but I'll do my best.
One of the things that stood out the most was the realistic characters. Even though Tyler didn't always make the best choices, I was rooting for him the entire time. I felt his anguish over his mess-up with Josh, I felt his confusion as the mystery of Echo Island only grew deeper, and very early on, I realized I wanted to know what was going on just as badly as he did.
A big thing about this book that I absolutely loved was the narrative voice. I love a snarky MC, especially when its in first person POV. Tyler's observations and just day-to-day thoughts had me laughing out loud.
This book manages to be a drama, horror, romance, comedy, and thriller all rolled into, and the author executed it perfectly. It's not a book that takes itself too seriously, and that's what makes it so fantastic. This is an incredibly fun read, but it's not exactly a light one either. Major praise to author Steve Hugh Westerna for his creativity. I can't imagine all the planning a book like this needed. Highly recommend!
I received a free eARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
When I saw this book pitched as a "queer Buzzfeed Unsolved," I knew it would be for me. And from page one, this book threw me on a roller coaster of mystery, relationship drama, angst, secrets, guessing games, and so much more. It's hard to sum up my thoughts in a review because I have so many (all good!), but I'll do my best.
One of the things that stood out the most was the realistic characters. Even though Tyler didn't always make the best choices, I was rooting for him the entire time. I felt his anguish over his mess-up with Josh, I felt his confusion as the mystery of Echo Island only grew deeper, and very early on, I realized I wanted to know what was going on just as badly as he did.
A big thing about this book that I absolutely loved was the narrative voice. I love a snarky MC, especially when its in first person POV. Tyler's observations and just day-to-day thoughts had me laughing out loud.
This book manages to be a drama, horror, romance, comedy, and thriller all rolled into, and the author executed it perfectly. It's not a book that takes itself too seriously, and that's what makes it so fantastic. This is an incredibly fun read, but it's not exactly a light one either. Major praise to author Steve Hugh Westerna for his creativity. I can't imagine all the planning a book like this needed. Highly recommend!
I received a free eARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
October 23, 2024
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle was an absolute blast!
Part creepy, part mystery, part social commentary and deceptively funny.
Journey with Tyler Kyle to the island where his B grade movie star mother disappeared, only to discover it’s an old queer conversation camp where everyone … is a little different.
A wild and exciting genre blend that works together oh so well! Steve is a horror author to watch!
Part creepy, part mystery, part social commentary and deceptively funny.
Journey with Tyler Kyle to the island where his B grade movie star mother disappeared, only to discover it’s an old queer conversation camp where everyone … is a little different.
A wild and exciting genre blend that works together oh so well! Steve is a horror author to watch!
June 17, 2024
This book will not appeal to everyone, I suspect. However, it appeals to me so much that I am writing my first book review in months...years? This book legitimately had me enraptured from about 20% onwards. Initially, I found the style a bit jarring, and difficult to get into. But I'm so thankful that I persisted, allowing myself to go with the flow, because the more I read, the more I couldn't put it down.
There's just so much I could compliment about this book. The writing style? Expertly crafted. There were moments I thought the writing was slipping in some way, only to realise everything I was picking up on was entirely, definitively deliberate and intentional. In the best way possible. The characters? Particularly amongst the main group, the complexity and flawed nature of these characters drew me to them and kept me hooked in their stories. The plot? I adore it. There's so many things I could praise, all of which would be spoilers. But it just...it's so good. The intrigue was so high from start to finish, and everything I hoped for was met or even surpassed.
I will be recommending this book whenever the opportunity arises, and I genuinely put it down after finishing reading and said to myself, "I'm going to need to re-assess my top rated books for this year so far." This one may have just kicked a few of them off the podium...
Now, again, this won't be for everyone. I'm well aware that this style can be grating on some readers - however, I'd recommend sticking with at least a few chapters, before deciding it isn't for you. If you make it to chapter five and you're still irritated by Tyler's voice? It might not be the book for you. But give it a chance, as Tyler develops, I found him less and less grating, and more interesting.
I thoroughly hope Steve Hugh Westenra writes more horror...guaranteed reader, right here.
There's just so much I could compliment about this book. The writing style? Expertly crafted. There were moments I thought the writing was slipping in some way, only to realise everything I was picking up on was entirely, definitively deliberate and intentional. In the best way possible. The characters? Particularly amongst the main group, the complexity and flawed nature of these characters drew me to them and kept me hooked in their stories. The plot? I adore it. There's so many things I could praise, all of which would be spoilers. But it just...it's so good. The intrigue was so high from start to finish, and everything I hoped for was met or even surpassed.
I will be recommending this book whenever the opportunity arises, and I genuinely put it down after finishing reading and said to myself, "I'm going to need to re-assess my top rated books for this year so far." This one may have just kicked a few of them off the podium...
Now, again, this won't be for everyone. I'm well aware that this style can be grating on some readers - however, I'd recommend sticking with at least a few chapters, before deciding it isn't for you. If you make it to chapter five and you're still irritated by Tyler's voice? It might not be the book for you. But give it a chance, as Tyler develops, I found him less and less grating, and more interesting.
I thoroughly hope Steve Hugh Westenra writes more horror...guaranteed reader, right here.
October 28, 2023
First of all, I wish to thank the author for kindly giving me an ARC copy.
From what I understand, the author attempted to query this book for around 3 years to no avail. And I dare say it is such a shame nobody gave this book the chance it deserves because he is indeed very gifted. With just a little bit more nipping and tightening the more sluggish middle act, this book would only need a menial bit of promotion to sell like pancakes.
I just love the cover because it both tells you nothing about the story, yet it feels really fitting with the whole "scary but don't take things too seriously vibe". If I could comp this book, it would be The Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Marshmallows by Louise Willingham. Both books have overly anxious queer curious male protagonists that spend an inordinate amount of time overthinking about their love life. And then bam! The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle has an antagonist who proudly presents us a weird taxidermy collection in his office one minute, then starts pigging out on chocolate cake. Like, digs his fingers deep inside and slobbers on his desk. And to think he's one of the more normal characters in the story. Haha
I quite like Tyler and how he sums up his personality in the very first sentence of the book. Really gives you an idea what to expect. Instead of using a little thing called common sense, he is overthinking about his impossible love interest. Which is followed by descending an ominous staircase with grimy 1970s carpeting knowing he's that sidekick character in the zombie movie that gets themselves killed doing something utterly careless. Chances are the reader will laugh when he does some of his really neurotic/careless/clumsy antics.
I would have liked to get to know some of the island inhabitants a bit more, especially Tia and Nor. The book is quite clever throwing red herrings that seem very menial at first sight, but prove to help Tyler later on in the story. The Joshbot app only adds to the fun, because it gives useless answers that only make Tyler even more neurotic than he already is. The final third of the book is absolutely fabulous and it really keeps the reader gripping to their seat, wanting to know how it ends.
Now, there is only one downside that kept me from giving it the full 5 stars: the middle felt sluggish at times. Tyler messes things up, thinks some islanders are psychos that want to kill him (which may be true or not true), discovers a weird secret about an islander, gets into more trouble, overthinks something, and then goes around in circles approximately 3 times. I would have liked it if some of the chapters had been tightened a bit more and there was less running around in circles. But I dare say the finale overcompensates for the book's scant defects and it was a thrill to read.
If you like an emotionally messy hero and your drag queens to be 80 years old and super weird, give this book a chance. It's spooky, it's quirky, and very funny. Great read.
4 1/2 stars!
From what I understand, the author attempted to query this book for around 3 years to no avail. And I dare say it is such a shame nobody gave this book the chance it deserves because he is indeed very gifted. With just a little bit more nipping and tightening the more sluggish middle act, this book would only need a menial bit of promotion to sell like pancakes.
I just love the cover because it both tells you nothing about the story, yet it feels really fitting with the whole "scary but don't take things too seriously vibe". If I could comp this book, it would be The Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Marshmallows by Louise Willingham. Both books have overly anxious queer curious male protagonists that spend an inordinate amount of time overthinking about their love life. And then bam! The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle has an antagonist who proudly presents us a weird taxidermy collection in his office one minute, then starts pigging out on chocolate cake. Like, digs his fingers deep inside and slobbers on his desk. And to think he's one of the more normal characters in the story. Haha
I quite like Tyler and how he sums up his personality in the very first sentence of the book. Really gives you an idea what to expect. Instead of using a little thing called common sense, he is overthinking about his impossible love interest. Which is followed by descending an ominous staircase with grimy 1970s carpeting knowing he's that sidekick character in the zombie movie that gets themselves killed doing something utterly careless. Chances are the reader will laugh when he does some of his really neurotic/careless/clumsy antics.
I would have liked to get to know some of the island inhabitants a bit more, especially Tia and Nor. The book is quite clever throwing red herrings that seem very menial at first sight, but prove to help Tyler later on in the story. The Joshbot app only adds to the fun, because it gives useless answers that only make Tyler even more neurotic than he already is. The final third of the book is absolutely fabulous and it really keeps the reader gripping to their seat, wanting to know how it ends.
Now, there is only one downside that kept me from giving it the full 5 stars: the middle felt sluggish at times. Tyler messes things up, thinks some islanders are psychos that want to kill him (which may be true or not true), discovers a weird secret about an islander, gets into more trouble, overthinks something, and then goes around in circles approximately 3 times. I would have liked it if some of the chapters had been tightened a bit more and there was less running around in circles. But I dare say the finale overcompensates for the book's scant defects and it was a thrill to read.
If you like an emotionally messy hero and your drag queens to be 80 years old and super weird, give this book a chance. It's spooky, it's quirky, and very funny. Great read.
4 1/2 stars!
August 22, 2024
I'm getting back into horror after spending decades away from the genre (turns out when real life is no longer hellish, it's easier to enjoy the fictional kind), and it's a crime this book doesn't have more exposure.
THE ERSTWHILE TYLER KYLE has a winning combination of attributes: it's creepy, it's queer, and there were so many snort-with-laughter observations from witty protagonist Tyler that it tempered the more horrific bits. It has the levity of something like HORRORSTOR but without the severe whiplash of funny-to-gruesome.
Do youself a favor and pick this one up.
THE ERSTWHILE TYLER KYLE has a winning combination of attributes: it's creepy, it's queer, and there were so many snort-with-laughter observations from witty protagonist Tyler that it tempered the more horrific bits. It has the levity of something like HORRORSTOR but without the severe whiplash of funny-to-gruesome.
Do youself a favor and pick this one up.
February 26, 2025
I won this book in a giveaway last year, and it was delivered in bright packaging with spooky stickers and bookmarks. I’m grateful for the special treatment! I will avoid major spoilers, but this will still be a long review because I write a lot. I knew very little about The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle besides the fact that it was a queer comedy horror about cryptid investigators. It is indeed all of those things with the volume cranked all the way up.
This book is unapologetically colourful, violent, and musical. It can't help but be what it is because our main character is a born performer in need of an audience. The titular Tyler Kyle is one half of a YouTube cryptid-investigating duo. He sees himself as the wallflower to his co-host, Josh’s star. Josh wants to believe in the fantastic, while Tyler is the sceptic. At the beginning of the book, he is on a solo investigation after reeling from an awkward intimate moment with Josh. The story takes place on Echo Island, a place not far from Newfoundland. Tyler’s missing mother had a connection to the island and an anonymous YouTube viewer has coaxed him into visiting with the promise of more information.
This paranormal story is set in 2019, though it was released a few years after that date. It includes a number of references to media from that time.
For example, the movie I, Tonya came out in 2018:
“…feral dogs are careering toward you like they’re Tonya Harding and you’re Nancy Kerrigan and you’re the only thing standing between them and that Olympic gold.”
Other references went over my head, but will no doubt be recognised by those with certain niche interests. This will still work as a period piece years from now.
I admired Tyler for his charisma, pitied him for his harsh self-critiques, and sometimes agreed that he is the “asshole” he says he is. It takes a talented writer to make you feel conflicted over a character. There is so much to learn from writers who use the structure of a book (things like chapter breaks and punctuation) to tell the story as much as the plot. For example, the first few chapters feel very close – like they’ve been taken from Tyler’s diary confessions and phone calls. Over time, some distance is created as other characters encroach on his headspace and drag him deeper into the island. Some disturbing written excerpts seem inconsistent with Tyler’s voice. They raise questions and you must wait and see how they fit in.
I can’t spoil the cryptids, but I will say there are cryptids here. Based on their glorious descriptions, I am a big fan of their design.
I try to finish ARCs and giveaways, even if they turn out to be outside of my comfort zone. Some of the loudness I mentioned earlier was a bit much for me. When it comes to anything related to the body, be it violence or lust, I prefer to leave some things implied. Still, this is horror, so excess is to be expected.
I’ll include more under the spoiler tag for content warnings (this book does come with content warnings at the back which I appreciated):
I enjoyed the supporting cast. Josh, Tia, and Gene were among the highlights. I’ve said a lot about mystery and horror, but the comedy is very well handled too. The emotional temperature is well-regulated throughout the narrative. A lighter chapter will follow after a heavy one. A long stretch of hardship is peppered with moments of levity. The prose is sophisticated, and I relished pouring over Westenra’s lyrical descriptions, which often reveal more than you realise on your first read.
“The lights in the bar cast their mirror images into the eyes of the audience: a dozen moons reflected in bowls of water. Everyone and everything is stillness and silence – a bated breath given physical form.”
This book is unapologetically colourful, violent, and musical. It can't help but be what it is because our main character is a born performer in need of an audience. The titular Tyler Kyle is one half of a YouTube cryptid-investigating duo. He sees himself as the wallflower to his co-host, Josh’s star. Josh wants to believe in the fantastic, while Tyler is the sceptic. At the beginning of the book, he is on a solo investigation after reeling from an awkward intimate moment with Josh. The story takes place on Echo Island, a place not far from Newfoundland. Tyler’s missing mother had a connection to the island and an anonymous YouTube viewer has coaxed him into visiting with the promise of more information.
This paranormal story is set in 2019, though it was released a few years after that date. It includes a number of references to media from that time.
For example, the movie I, Tonya came out in 2018:
“…feral dogs are careering toward you like they’re Tonya Harding and you’re Nancy Kerrigan and you’re the only thing standing between them and that Olympic gold.”
Other references went over my head, but will no doubt be recognised by those with certain niche interests. This will still work as a period piece years from now.
I admired Tyler for his charisma, pitied him for his harsh self-critiques, and sometimes agreed that he is the “asshole” he says he is. It takes a talented writer to make you feel conflicted over a character. There is so much to learn from writers who use the structure of a book (things like chapter breaks and punctuation) to tell the story as much as the plot. For example, the first few chapters feel very close – like they’ve been taken from Tyler’s diary confessions and phone calls. Over time, some distance is created as other characters encroach on his headspace and drag him deeper into the island. Some disturbing written excerpts seem inconsistent with Tyler’s voice. They raise questions and you must wait and see how they fit in.
I can’t spoil the cryptids, but I will say there are cryptids here. Based on their glorious descriptions, I am a big fan of their design.
I try to finish ARCs and giveaways, even if they turn out to be outside of my comfort zone. Some of the loudness I mentioned earlier was a bit much for me. When it comes to anything related to the body, be it violence or lust, I prefer to leave some things implied. Still, this is horror, so excess is to be expected.
I’ll include more under the spoiler tag for content warnings (this book does come with content warnings at the back which I appreciated):
I enjoyed the supporting cast. Josh, Tia, and Gene were among the highlights. I’ve said a lot about mystery and horror, but the comedy is very well handled too. The emotional temperature is well-regulated throughout the narrative. A lighter chapter will follow after a heavy one. A long stretch of hardship is peppered with moments of levity. The prose is sophisticated, and I relished pouring over Westenra’s lyrical descriptions, which often reveal more than you realise on your first read.
“The lights in the bar cast their mirror images into the eyes of the audience: a dozen moons reflected in bowls of water. Everyone and everything is stillness and silence – a bated breath given physical form.”
October 14, 2024
This book was quite the experience for me. I felt a whole range of emotions while reading it. Horror isn’t my usual genre because I get scared easily. It’s mostly the Stephen King type of horror that I struggle with because it’s the creeping, stalking kind of suspense I struggle with. I did feel that here and there with this one too but decided to push through anyways.
There were parts that were REALLY confusing and I honestly think the WTF feeling was what kept me from being truly too uncomfortable to continue. It made me pause regularly and just take a breath while I pondered what the hell I just read. I didn’t read the description beforehand so I really had no idea what I was getting into. I just knew it was queer horror. I didn’t know it was comedy as well or I probably wouldn’t have been as worried.
While the characters were quite out there, I still got really attached and invested. The side characters suffered a bit from the erratic narration and the craziness sometimes took away from the emotional depth for me, but the plot made up for that for me in the end once everything started coming together. I was seriously contemplating DNFing before the halfway mark but was too curious about the potential reveals to actually put it down. And I’m glad I didn’t because the second half had me glued to my kindle every chance I got.
My favorite thing about the book was how consistent the voices of the MCs were. It was clear who was narrating each section, even when things got crazy. I also liked that while some things were a little predictable in the second half, it was still written in an interesting way that made the reveals satisfying rather than boring. While the final resolution did feel a little easy to me, the overall wrap up was satisfying.
So while I did have some gripes with this, I’m still really glad that I stuck it out. A great mix of fear, laughter, and suspense. It was truly a fun experience for me and has me looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone more often.
There were parts that were REALLY confusing and I honestly think the WTF feeling was what kept me from being truly too uncomfortable to continue. It made me pause regularly and just take a breath while I pondered what the hell I just read. I didn’t read the description beforehand so I really had no idea what I was getting into. I just knew it was queer horror. I didn’t know it was comedy as well or I probably wouldn’t have been as worried.
While the characters were quite out there, I still got really attached and invested. The side characters suffered a bit from the erratic narration and the craziness sometimes took away from the emotional depth for me, but the plot made up for that for me in the end once everything started coming together. I was seriously contemplating DNFing before the halfway mark but was too curious about the potential reveals to actually put it down. And I’m glad I didn’t because the second half had me glued to my kindle every chance I got.
My favorite thing about the book was how consistent the voices of the MCs were. It was clear who was narrating each section, even when things got crazy. I also liked that while some things were a little predictable in the second half, it was still written in an interesting way that made the reveals satisfying rather than boring. While the final resolution did feel a little easy to me, the overall wrap up was satisfying.
So while I did have some gripes with this, I’m still really glad that I stuck it out. A great mix of fear, laughter, and suspense. It was truly a fun experience for me and has me looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone more often.
December 26, 2023
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle by Steve Hugh Westenra is a unique, dark and fun work of fiction filled with elements of horror, comedy, and LGBTQ+ themes. This book doesn't shy away from explicit scenes (Think Fight Club or American Psycho, but with a touch of the supernatural). I relished it, but this book isn't for the faint of heart.
The story follows Tyler Kyle, a washed-up actor and cryptid investigator. Tyler doesn't believe in monsters but is drawn into investigating a mysterious island after receiving some truly odd footage.
Tyler's arrival on Echo Island sparks a series of events and encounters that force him to reconsider his sternly held skepticism. On top of this, he is grappling with his sexuality and complex feelings for his best friend, Josh.
The relationship between Tyler and Josh, who run a popular YouTube channel dedicated to cryptid investigations together, is one of the highlights of the book. The dynamic between them adds both humor and depth to the narrative and helps drive the story forward.
As Tyler delves deeper into the mysteries of Echo Island, he uncovers not only the island's dark history, but also a supernatural connection.
Westenra's writing style is straight-forward, engaging and filled with dark humour. The blend of horror and comedy keeps you both hooked and surprised - you can never be sure of where the narrative is going to take you next.
If a blend of horror and humor is your thing, The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle by Steve Hugh Westenra should be in your TBR pile. The style of writing by this new author brings to mind a few literary heroes of the horrible and the absurd, namely Brett Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk, with a hint of Clive Barker.
If you're in the mood for something dark that'll still make you crack a smile, I'd highly recommend this book.
The story follows Tyler Kyle, a washed-up actor and cryptid investigator. Tyler doesn't believe in monsters but is drawn into investigating a mysterious island after receiving some truly odd footage.
Tyler's arrival on Echo Island sparks a series of events and encounters that force him to reconsider his sternly held skepticism. On top of this, he is grappling with his sexuality and complex feelings for his best friend, Josh.
The relationship between Tyler and Josh, who run a popular YouTube channel dedicated to cryptid investigations together, is one of the highlights of the book. The dynamic between them adds both humor and depth to the narrative and helps drive the story forward.
As Tyler delves deeper into the mysteries of Echo Island, he uncovers not only the island's dark history, but also a supernatural connection.
Westenra's writing style is straight-forward, engaging and filled with dark humour. The blend of horror and comedy keeps you both hooked and surprised - you can never be sure of where the narrative is going to take you next.
If a blend of horror and humor is your thing, The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle by Steve Hugh Westenra should be in your TBR pile. The style of writing by this new author brings to mind a few literary heroes of the horrible and the absurd, namely Brett Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk, with a hint of Clive Barker.
If you're in the mood for something dark that'll still make you crack a smile, I'd highly recommend this book.
September 16, 2023
Blending genres is sooo hard to get right, but this book nails it. The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle glues the reader to the page with its constant gear-switching between horror, romance, fantasy, and mystery. Add to that a good dose of humor and a light literary style, and you get a story that will stay with you for a long time afterward.
October 20, 2023
"We were whirlwinds in a world terrified of rain."
This book is wild. I have to admit, after the first 5 pages or so, I had to wonder what the hell I got myself into. But damn, the writing is excellent. Its difficult to describe the prose. Everything is written first-person present, but there is so much flair that makes it unique. Some people may be put off by the use of bold words, crossed out words, emojis, etc, but it adds such a unique feel to the book. I would recommend reading the sample if its available for diving in.
The plot and tone are all over the place, which I actually mean as a strength.. The MC Tyler is confused and conflicted, and it really carries over into the narrative voice. I kind of want to call it a dark horror comedy, but that's not entirely accurate. There are some very heavy themes. One chapter in particular about the woods had me step away. It reminds me of David Lynch's Twin Peaks or to use a very obscure example: the point and click game Harvester
Overall, I highly recommend to anyone looking for excellent writing and a chaotic read.
This book is wild. I have to admit, after the first 5 pages or so, I had to wonder what the hell I got myself into. But damn, the writing is excellent. Its difficult to describe the prose. Everything is written first-person present, but there is so much flair that makes it unique. Some people may be put off by the use of bold words, crossed out words, emojis, etc, but it adds such a unique feel to the book. I would recommend reading the sample if its available for diving in.
The plot and tone are all over the place, which I actually mean as a strength.. The MC Tyler is confused and conflicted, and it really carries over into the narrative voice. I kind of want to call it a dark horror comedy, but that's not entirely accurate. There are some very heavy themes. One chapter in particular about the woods had me step away. It reminds me of David Lynch's Twin Peaks or to use a very obscure example: the point and click game Harvester
Overall, I highly recommend to anyone looking for excellent writing and a chaotic read.
November 23, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up
This is a queer horror comedy with a strong, unique narrative voice. I don't read a ton of horror, but when I heard this book pitched as "queer Buzzfeed Unsolved with Twin Peaks vibes" I knew I needed to read it, and I was not disappointed. The main character, Tyler Kyle, is annoying, strangely loveable, and often hilariously inept. I was instantly drawn in by his voice, and quickly became invested in his quest to find out what really happened to his dead mother, and his unrequited love for his apparently straight best friend. The writing is excellent, and frequently laugh-out-loud funny. The characterization is very strong, with a full cast of well-rounded side characters. (All of them queer, with one exception!) At some points I felt that the pacing lagged a tiny bit, but my investment in the characters always kept me reading. The horror elements did get very intense in the last third or so of the story, so readers might want to check content warnings first. (This being said, I don't read a lot of horror, so my tolerance might be lower than some other readers'.) At around the 75% mark, a second POV is introduced, and from that point it's really hard to put the book down until its extremely satisfying conclusion.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a queer horror comedy with a strong, unique narrative voice. I don't read a ton of horror, but when I heard this book pitched as "queer Buzzfeed Unsolved with Twin Peaks vibes" I knew I needed to read it, and I was not disappointed. The main character, Tyler Kyle, is annoying, strangely loveable, and often hilariously inept. I was instantly drawn in by his voice, and quickly became invested in his quest to find out what really happened to his dead mother, and his unrequited love for his apparently straight best friend. The writing is excellent, and frequently laugh-out-loud funny. The characterization is very strong, with a full cast of well-rounded side characters. (All of them queer, with one exception!) At some points I felt that the pacing lagged a tiny bit, but my investment in the characters always kept me reading. The horror elements did get very intense in the last third or so of the story, so readers might want to check content warnings first. (This being said, I don't read a lot of horror, so my tolerance might be lower than some other readers'.) At around the 75% mark, a second POV is introduced, and from that point it's really hard to put the book down until its extremely satisfying conclusion.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 12, 2024I really enjoyed this! I was also impressed with the originality and the narrative voice, but you know, you can be objectively impressed and still not enjoy something, this was the opposite; like, I could point out a few minor flaws but I enjoyed it so much those were pretty much covered over during the reading experience.
Love is at the core of this story, or at least at the core of Tyler's story. Whether it is enough of a romance for romance-fans...ymmv. It was enough romance for *me* but I also read other genres. I will say I don't think I would have found this as satisfying without the romance, if that helps you, hypothetical romance reader, to decide whether to try this book.
It's definitely horror. Not extreme horror, but there's definitely some graphic physical harm as well as general suspense and weirdness and dirt. I didn't find any of it so horrifying as to be difficult to read through, but again, ymmv. See the cw if you're concerned, I guess (or ask me).
One of my favorite new books so far this year. Will definitely check out the author's other book soon. For a better and more detailed review see Dani Finn's.
Love is at the core of this story, or at least at the core of Tyler's story. Whether it is enough of a romance for romance-fans...ymmv. It was enough romance for *me* but I also read other genres. I will say I don't think I would have found this as satisfying without the romance, if that helps you, hypothetical romance reader, to decide whether to try this book.
It's definitely horror. Not extreme horror, but there's definitely some graphic physical harm as well as general suspense and weirdness and dirt. I didn't find any of it so horrifying as to be difficult to read through, but again, ymmv. See the cw if you're concerned, I guess (or ask me).
One of my favorite new books so far this year. Will definitely check out the author's other book soon. For a better and more detailed review see Dani Finn's.
November 18, 2023
It has been a long time since a horror book has made me actually yell “HOLY SH*T?!”
The character voice from Tyler Kyle is absolutely fantastic and had me rooting for him right from page one.
Twists and turns galore, things the reader might miss (or maybe I’m terribly unobservant) comes back to haunt them. Definitely a book that will reward re-reads!
The character voice from Tyler Kyle is absolutely fantastic and had me rooting for him right from page one.
Twists and turns galore, things the reader might miss (or maybe I’m terribly unobservant) comes back to haunt them. Definitely a book that will reward re-reads!
February 17, 2024
Never really thought I would be the type to enjoy comedic horror, but this was really fun!
In this book we follow 30 year old Tyler Kyle, a co-host for a youtube channel called Discovery Bang, who travels to this mysterious island in search of his mother who seemingly fell off the face of the Earth.
What follows is just buck wild craziness, some gore, and some body horror.
Westenra does a really good job in creating Tyler Kyle's voice. He felt authentic and relatable. My only gripe is that he reads more as a man in his early twenties rather than one who is thirty. Other than that, I really enjoyed being in his POV.
The small town claustrophobic atmosphere was incredibly well done and the behavior of the eclectic townspeople was deliciously creepy and off putting.
I really enjoyed how everything came together at the end and the little romance subplot was so freaking cute.
This was a punchy fast paced story that was highly entertaining. I look forward to reading more of this type of book.
In this book we follow 30 year old Tyler Kyle, a co-host for a youtube channel called Discovery Bang, who travels to this mysterious island in search of his mother who seemingly fell off the face of the Earth.
What follows is just buck wild craziness, some gore, and some body horror.
Westenra does a really good job in creating Tyler Kyle's voice. He felt authentic and relatable. My only gripe is that he reads more as a man in his early twenties rather than one who is thirty. Other than that, I really enjoyed being in his POV.
The small town claustrophobic atmosphere was incredibly well done and the behavior of the eclectic townspeople was deliciously creepy and off putting.
I really enjoyed how everything came together at the end and the little romance subplot was so freaking cute.
This was a punchy fast paced story that was highly entertaining. I look forward to reading more of this type of book.
March 10, 2024
This book was a mammoth. I love the blend of horror and humor BUT I feel that the book was way too long. Like it needed at least 100 pages cut. The content warnings were also not found until the end of the book. I loved Tyler as a character and the humor is reminiscent of “cozy horror.”
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ARC!
July 15, 2025
"I want to yell my logic down. I want to scream at it till my throat bleeds"
This was quite something. It starts exactly how the blurb says. Tyler gets on this island to investigate, there is history with Josh, you start to get used to the writing and the humour, and then everything topples over. Just a little at first.
"[...] if it is possible to queerbait yourself, that's what we've been doing"
This book got me with its humour and all the popcultural references. I loved Tyler's inability to keep his mouth shut. It was so funny for the first few pages it took me by surprise when it tilted further. This is a horror book, and it lived up to it.
"And because I'm a weirdo, I raise my hand, smile like the creepiest of creepers, and wave"
The creepyness was very subtle at times. And in others it slammed into my face. Just when I thought it had slowed down a bit too much, it turned dark. I mean really dark, read all the content warnings kind of dark. But the brutality and violence never got crude or clumsy.
"And how bad would it be, really, to be devoured?"
I loved the Philomela reference. It is one of my favourite greek myths and it was big part of my bachelor's thesis despite its violence and darkness. It was very well handled in this book in my opinion.
"Some part of you must've thought you deserved it"
I hope this author will write more horror!
This book is for you if like
- horror, with fantastical elements
- gore and darkness and a well written romance in the midst of it all
- great writing, humour and paranoia
- Pop cultural references to cope with trauma
This was quite something. It starts exactly how the blurb says. Tyler gets on this island to investigate, there is history with Josh, you start to get used to the writing and the humour, and then everything topples over. Just a little at first.
"[...] if it is possible to queerbait yourself, that's what we've been doing"
This book got me with its humour and all the popcultural references. I loved Tyler's inability to keep his mouth shut. It was so funny for the first few pages it took me by surprise when it tilted further. This is a horror book, and it lived up to it.
"And because I'm a weirdo, I raise my hand, smile like the creepiest of creepers, and wave"
The creepyness was very subtle at times. And in others it slammed into my face. Just when I thought it had slowed down a bit too much, it turned dark. I mean really dark, read all the content warnings kind of dark. But the brutality and violence never got crude or clumsy.
"And how bad would it be, really, to be devoured?"
I loved the Philomela reference. It is one of my favourite greek myths and it was big part of my bachelor's thesis despite its violence and darkness. It was very well handled in this book in my opinion.
"Some part of you must've thought you deserved it"
I hope this author will write more horror!
This book is for you if like
- horror, with fantastical elements
- gore and darkness and a well written romance in the midst of it all
- great writing, humour and paranoia
- Pop cultural references to cope with trauma
November 13, 2023
It’s hard to place this novel in a particular genre (includes almost all genres you could think of)!
For me, the highlight was the depth of the characters, which was strengthened with believable dialogue. I found the humour helped to soften the dark subject matter & horror. In general, I don’t like descriptive sex in fiction, but the scenes were well written & I felt they worked with the story. The story was paced well, and it kept me reading!
The sign of remarkable writing is when the setting and characters come to life & you think you might bump into them on a dark, poorly lit road …
Highly recommend!
For me, the highlight was the depth of the characters, which was strengthened with believable dialogue. I found the humour helped to soften the dark subject matter & horror. In general, I don’t like descriptive sex in fiction, but the scenes were well written & I felt they worked with the story. The story was paced well, and it kept me reading!
The sign of remarkable writing is when the setting and characters come to life & you think you might bump into them on a dark, poorly lit road …
Highly recommend!
July 2, 2025
I enjoyed The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle!
It was a really fun read that had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning.
It was full of many twists and turns and while I guessed some for example who the main villain was. I wasn't able to guess the big reveal near the end and it really surprised me which I loved!
Can't say more as it would spoil so much of the story.
I was also surprised by the body horror in the book as with the comedic style I didn't expect it but it actually worked really well!
The characters were all great and I enjoyed them all. Also pretty much every character was queer as well which was great! My favourite character was probably Tyler as I really grew to love him throughout the story even while he was being an idiot.
One of the only issues I had with this book was the pacing as some scenes went by really fast and others went by really slowly.
With some more editing, I feel like this could have been a 5-star read for me!
All in all, this was a really great read that I definitely recommend picking up!
It was a really fun read that had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning.
It was full of many twists and turns and while I guessed some for example who the main villain was. I wasn't able to guess the big reveal near the end and it really surprised me which I loved!
Can't say more as it would spoil so much of the story.
I was also surprised by the body horror in the book as with the comedic style I didn't expect it but it actually worked really well!
The characters were all great and I enjoyed them all. Also pretty much every character was queer as well which was great! My favourite character was probably Tyler as I really grew to love him throughout the story even while he was being an idiot.
One of the only issues I had with this book was the pacing as some scenes went by really fast and others went by really slowly.
With some more editing, I feel like this could have been a 5-star read for me!
All in all, this was a really great read that I definitely recommend picking up!
November 1, 2023
4.5 stars
Obey stay staystaystay edge of trees 9 kilometers 9 kilometers 9 kilometers 9 kilometers sky 9 kilometers stay-
☆Queer Horror Comedy
☆Mystery, Horror, Romance and Comedy in one book
☆Buzzfeed unsolved/Twin peaks/Ghost files vibes
☆MMC Tyler Kyle, washed-up actor and reluctant cryptid investigator.
☆MMC Josh Mulder, eager cryptid investigator
☆Psycho stalker
☆Fan-Fiction
☆Queer conversion camps
☆Karaoke
☆Monsters
☆Supernatural cursed island Echo
☆Exciting and spooky
☆2 POVs switching after 73%
☆Spice
☆HEA
While it took me a couple of chapters to really find my footing, I was instantly intrigued and hooked by Tyler's strong narrator voice.
He is annoying but also loveable, and for a crytid investigator he was really missing of lot of clues, with resulted in ridiculous(ly funny) horror situations. Meanwhile, he is also struggling with his love for his "straight" best friend and co-host Josh. And even though we don't see them on page together for a long time, I believed in their strong bond and understood their dynamic because of the hysterical Joshbot app. The queer panic is just so good in this book!!
At 73%, the POV switches to Josh and this made the story so much more complete, as we get a lot of answers that Tyler was missing.
This book is funny, exciting, mysterious, disturbing, heart-warming and emotional. It was great and innovative. Don't miss out on this one.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book comes out on October 13, 2023.
Obey stay staystaystay edge of trees 9 kilometers 9 kilometers 9 kilometers 9 kilometers sky 9 kilometers stay-
☆Queer Horror Comedy
☆Mystery, Horror, Romance and Comedy in one book
☆Buzzfeed unsolved/Twin peaks/Ghost files vibes
☆MMC Tyler Kyle, washed-up actor and reluctant cryptid investigator.
☆MMC Josh Mulder, eager cryptid investigator
☆Psycho stalker
☆Fan-Fiction
☆Queer conversion camps
☆Karaoke
☆Monsters
☆Supernatural cursed island Echo
☆Exciting and spooky
☆2 POVs switching after 73%
☆Spice
☆HEA
While it took me a couple of chapters to really find my footing, I was instantly intrigued and hooked by Tyler's strong narrator voice.
He is annoying but also loveable, and for a crytid investigator he was really missing of lot of clues, with resulted in ridiculous(ly funny) horror situations. Meanwhile, he is also struggling with his love for his "straight" best friend and co-host Josh. And even though we don't see them on page together for a long time, I believed in their strong bond and understood their dynamic because of the hysterical Joshbot app. The queer panic is just so good in this book!!
At 73%, the POV switches to Josh and this made the story so much more complete, as we get a lot of answers that Tyler was missing.
This book is funny, exciting, mysterious, disturbing, heart-warming and emotional. It was great and innovative. Don't miss out on this one.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book comes out on October 13, 2023.
January 21, 2024
I was really excited to read this because I love the idea of a horror story featuring Youtuber paranormal investigators. However, the blurb wasn't kidding when it said this was aimed at fans of Buzzfeed Unsolved and Ghost Files. I don't know if it started life as BU fanfic but it definitely reads like it. As someone who has seen a little Buzzfeed Unsolved but not a ton, and was never in the fandom, I found this really hard to follow and gave up after 100 pages. The story didn't grab me, it was more concentrated on the main character's romantic relationships than the paranormal investigating. There is a strong A03 vibe to the writing style.
A lot of successful authors have transitioned from fanfic to original writing. A lot of successful authors have published former fanfic with the numbers filed off. I think this needed a more thorough edit to let it stand alone from the Buzzfeed Unsolved context. If you're not in the fandom, you might find it as confusing as I did. I hate to be the Debbie Downer in the reviews because a lot of people have really enjoyed this book (and the cover is a banger!) but it was not for me.
I received this arc for free on netgalley.
A lot of successful authors have transitioned from fanfic to original writing. A lot of successful authors have published former fanfic with the numbers filed off. I think this needed a more thorough edit to let it stand alone from the Buzzfeed Unsolved context. If you're not in the fandom, you might find it as confusing as I did. I hate to be the Debbie Downer in the reviews because a lot of people have really enjoyed this book (and the cover is a banger!) but it was not for me.
I received this arc for free on netgalley.
December 1, 2024
Did I follow half of what was happening in this book? No.
Did I connect the dots even at the big reveal? No.
Did I enjoy every minute? Yes!
Would I read it again / recommend? Yup!
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle is a wild ride, it was all over the place, so many characters and story arcs that most of the time I was just absorbing it and enjoying the ride rather than trying to figure it out. A fun, chaotic, darkly amusing book, not for the faint hearted! Readers take note of the content warnings provided by the Author.
Loved this book, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author Steve Hugh Westenra for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 😊
Did I connect the dots even at the big reveal? No.
Did I enjoy every minute? Yes!
Would I read it again / recommend? Yup!
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle is a wild ride, it was all over the place, so many characters and story arcs that most of the time I was just absorbing it and enjoying the ride rather than trying to figure it out. A fun, chaotic, darkly amusing book, not for the faint hearted! Readers take note of the content warnings provided by the Author.
Loved this book, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author Steve Hugh Westenra for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 😊
March 6, 2024
When I started reading this book it felt frenetic, fragmented, even, overwhelming like someone spit my ADHD brain out onto paper and I thought, stop that. I don't need double ADHD in my life, but also this is a great book.
It's got a bit of everything and was a wild, heartbreaking, dangerous, violent, gross, romantic story where the true monsters are difficult to pin down and you're reading far longer than intended to untangle the proverbial web.
Bravo.
It's got a bit of everything and was a wild, heartbreaking, dangerous, violent, gross, romantic story where the true monsters are difficult to pin down and you're reading far longer than intended to untangle the proverbial web.
Bravo.
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